Extenuating Circumstances
by Jo7
Summary: Sailing Away fic - a little fuzzy Carby addition that could have happened in SA, while they were in a motel one night...


_Author's Note: I know 'What Now?' needs writing, but I rewatched Sailing Away and got inspired! :-p ;) 'What Now?' will be written, and I'll post it asap, but I thought I'd let you all see this now! It's a one parter. Just something I thought could have easily happened during Sailing Away and still fit in perfectly with cannon. :-D Please R&R! Jo xx   
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Carby. :'(_

"Hi, do you have a room for three?" Carter asked the man behind the reception desk. This was the third motel they'd tried to stop off at for the night, and they were all beginning to get tired and annoyed. 

"Just a minute sir." The man tapped away at the keyboard, checking for a room. "Nothing for three." Carter sighed sadly, and Abby standing next to him rolled her eyes angrily. 

"We've been driving all day, this is the third motel we tried!" she exclaimed angrily. 

"I have a double room with a sofa, if that's any help?" he said, looking slightly intimidated. 

"That okay with you?" Carter asked, turning to Abby. "You and your Mum can sleep on the bed, and I'll take the sofa." She nodded, clearly not entirely happy. At least it was a room. "We'll take it then." 

"Where's she gone?" Abby interrupted them, looking around. 

"Maggie?" She nodded. "There," he pointed to the entrance. "She's by the doors." 

"Mum!" Abby yelled, running over to her and grabbing her by the arm. "Mum, don't just wander off!" 

"I'm not a little kid," Carter could hear her mumble. 

"Do you think we could have the key, so that they can go up while I sort out paying?" he asked, knowing Abby would feel much better if she could take her Mum out the way. 

"Sure." The man grabbed a key off the key rack, and handed it to Abby. "Room 147, go up the elevator over there to the first floor, turn left and it's down the end of the corridor." 

"Thanks," she smiled as she took the key. Carter watched Abby and Maggie leave, before turning back to the man. 

"Could you just fill out your details for me please, Mr...?" 

"Carter. Dr. Carter," he replied, taking the form and pen he'd been handed. 

"So, are you from anywhere near here, Dr. Carter?" the man asked, politely making conversation as Carter filled out various details. 

"Err, Chicago. We're on our way back now." He signed the bottom of the form, and handed it back. "Do you need a deposit this evening?" 

"Yes, $40 please." Carter handed his credit card over, and the man swiped it through the machine. "Sorry, it's quite slow this time at night." 

"Sure." 

"You all look warn out - long journey?" 

"Something like that," Carter laughed slightly. 

"Must be hard, travelling with the mother in law. I don't think I'd be able to go all the way from here to Chicago without killing mine!" 

"What?" 

"I'm sorry, that wasn't very tactful!" he laughed. "It's just your wife's mother seems like quite a handful. Oh, here we go, the machine's decided to work." He passed the receipt to Carter with a pen, and he signed it. "Just go up the elevator..." 

"Turn left and it's at the end of the corridor," Carter finished. "I got it. Thanks." 

*** 

"That guy at reception was quite a character!" Carter laughed, as he and Abby sat on the balcony eating pizza later that evening. 

"Why, what did he say?" 

"He...oh, it doesn't matter," he laughed, shaking his head. "You want the last slice of pizza?" 

"No, I'm not really hungry." She stared out over the still swimming pool, deep in thought. 

"Come on, you made me eat chocolate fudge sundaes with you, you can finish the pizza with me!" She didn't respond, just continued to stare out into the night. "Hey, are you okay?" 

"Yup." She looked back towards him. "I'll be fine. I'll go splits if it means that much to you." 

"See, I knew you'd understand after the sundae thing." He winked at her, making her laugh, and ripped the piece of pizza in half. "Two pieces of pepperoni or one?" She rolled her eyes, grabbing the piece nearest to her. 

They sat in a companionable silence for a while, each munching on their pizza. "It's late, we should go to bed," Abby said after a while. "We need to get going again early tomorrow." Carter gathered the pizza box up, and followed her inside. 

"Do you think they have spare sheets in here to use with the sofa?" he asked, opening a cupboard to see what was inside. 

"I don't know...it's not exactly made for sleeping on the..." she trailed off. 

"What's wrong?" He opened the next cupboard, peering inside. 

"Maggie's asleep on the sofa." 

"Ah," he said, standing up and turning to look at Maggie. "Well, I'll have to carry her to the bed." 

"No, I don't want to wake her up." 

"What do you suggest then, we sleep in shifts?" he said sarcastically, which earned him a glare. 

"It's a double bed, I guess we can share. That is as long as you're not going to snore, and hit me in your sleep." She smiled shyly at him, before turning and walking to the bathroom. "I'll get changed in here." 

"Right." Grabbing a pair of boxers and an old t-shirt he quickly changed before Abby came back. He couldn't help feeling that there was something wrong about this. He may have just split up with his girlfriend, but Abby still had a boyfriend. It wasn't like anything was going to happen, they were just sleeping in a bed that was plenty big enough for two due to extenuating circumstances. Nothing wrong in that. Extenuating circumstances, he repeated to himself. 

He sighed, and climbed into bed, just as she exited the bathroom. She flicked the light switch, and made her way across the dark room to the bed. He felt the bed move next to him and knew she was lying there next to him now. Extenuating circumstances. He rolled onto his side to face away from her, trying to keep himself as far from her as he could. It was hard to sleep, lying on the very edge of the bed though, and he found he couldn't quite drop off. Drop off! He almost laughed out loud at his own thoughts. It was quite cold too, he realised. 

"Abby!" 

"Hmm?" she mumbled, half asleep already. 

"You're hogging the duvet." 

"Sorry." She pushed some back over his way. 

"No worries." He lay in silence for a while, listening to her breathe. "Abby?" 

"Yes?" 

"Sleep well." 

"You too Carter. Goodnight." He could tell she was slightly annoyed now, and realised it would be a good time to let her go to sleep. Shutting his eyes he tried to send himself to sleep. He began to run himself through an intubation in his mind. _Look for the cords..._ No good. Just because he could do one in his sleep obviously didn't mean he could send himself to sleep doing one. There must be a better way to get to sleep, he thought to himself. _One Abby. Two Abby's._ No! That wouldn't help! Extenuating circumstances, he reminded himself once more. _One defibrillator. Two defibrillators. Three defibrillators. Four defibrillators. Five defibrillators. Six defibrillators. Seven defibrillators. Ten defi...defibators. Eight def..._

*** 

Abby sighed happily in her half awake state, as she snuggled into the arms wrapped around her. She felt so comfortable and safe, she didn't want to have to wake up properly and move. She could feel the breath of the man lying next to her tickling to back of her neck. She giggled quietly to herself. 

Gradually she opened her eyes, slowly allowing them to become accustomed to the bright light that streamed through the windows. But not her windows. Or Luka's. She racked her brain, before remembering that she was in a motel with her mother and Carter. 

She yawned. She really didn't want to get out of bed yet, she was so comfortable here. But they had to get going soon, so she couldn't just lie here all day. It took a moment before her mind registered the previous thought that she was here with her mother _and Carter_, and a moment more before she remembered that she and Carter had had to share the double bed. 

Carefully she extracted herself from his arms, and jumped out of the bed. He stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. She breathed a sigh of relief: she didn't want him to wake up to see her staring at him. She took a moment to smile to herself, thinking about how they must have managed to move into each other's arms during the night, before turning to go into the bathroom. 

She began brushing her teeth, but after a moment began to feel a little uncomfortable with the situation. It bothered her that she'd felt safe and comfortable in his arms, when she shouldn't. And it bothered it that the fact that they'd found each other in the night didn't bother her. It bothered her that the only time she'd thought about Luka this morning, until now, was to realise that they weren't his windows. It bothered her that she'd noticed how cute he was when he was asleep. 

She closed her eyes, sighing sadly. She couldn't do this to herself. She really liked Carter, she had done for a long time. But she'd never thought it was that big a deal, that she'd get over it...she suddenly felt overwhelmed with guilt. She couldn't fall for him, not now. Not when she was in a good relationship, with a nice guy. 

Nice guy, she thought as she began to brush her teeth again, but maybe not the right nice guy. 

*** 

"Good morning!" Carter said as Abby exited the bathroom, now dressed. He was already sat on the bed, dressed and ready to go. 

"Hey." She smiled at him. "Sleep well?" 

"Yeah, thanks. You?" 

"Yup, great." She avoided looking him in the eye, not wanting him to think anything was wrong. 

"I didn't hit you in the middle of the night then?" he said, winking. 

"No," she laughed in return. "Nothing like that." She looked at him, wondering if he knew what had happened. He obviously didn't. Well, that was for the best, she decided. It wasn't that big a deal anyway. "I'll get my Mum and then we can get going, then." 

*** 

"If you can just sign here, Dr. Carter," the receptionist said, passing Carter the bill. He signed quickly, and passed it back. "Thanks. I hope you enjoyed your stay." 

"It was lovely, thank you." 

"I'm glad we could find room for you." He turned to Abby. "Have a good journey Mrs. Carter." Abby opened her mouth to protest, but Carter grabbed her arm before she could say anything. 

"Well, we have a long journey, we really ought to get going." He looked pointedly at Abby. "Thank you very much." 

"Did you tell him I was your wife?!" Abby exclaimed as soon as they were out of the door. 

"No, I just didn't tell him you weren't." 

"Carter!" she exclaimed, laughing. 

"Well, I told you he was quite a character..." 

*** 

_Please let me know what you think! Ta! :)_


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